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More than 40 volunteers got their hands dirty Friday afternoon while planting nearly 20 trees near Black Hills State University’s Softball Complex. The trees, donated by Black Hills Power, are part of the regional utility company’s Power of the Trees program.

Thousands of family, friends, faculty, and staff packed into theDonald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center recently to wish good luck to the more than 400 Black Hills State University graduates awarded master, bachelor and associate degrees during the 165th Commencement Ceremony.

The Jacket Journal, Black Hills State University’s student newspaper, recently earned a first place award in the 2013 American Scholastic Press Association’s (ASPA) annual newspaper competition. Each year the ASPA awards the top college and high school literary magazines, newspapers and yearbooks in the country for the work produced by their staffs.

The Joseph F. and Martha P. Nelson Scholarship at Black Hills State University has been awarded to Morgan Mahanke, a Brookings High School senior who will graduate this May and attend BHSU in the fall. She plans to major in chemistry with a goal of working in forensics.

Black Hills State University faculty and staff recently celebrated the civic accomplishments of more than 30 students and several student organizations during the 21st annual Student Volunteer Awards Celebration.

This year’s theme was “Leading & Transforming” recognizing students, organizations, faculty, staff and volunteers for all they do to make BHSU a high-quality, innovative University.

Throughout her time at Black Hills State University, Joey Painter has been an ambassador for the University both on and off campus. Her leadership recently earned her the 2013 Spirit of BH award. Painter, who graduated last week, was honored during the recent 21st Annual Student Volunteer Awards Celebration.

Rilda Means has known what she has wanted to do since she was a junior at Red Cloud Indian School – help change the stigma of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Means was one of more than 400 graduates earning degrees Saturday during the 165th Black Hills State University Commencement Ceremony. Means, who received her bachelor of science in political science and American Indian Studies, was also one of the 34 Native American students graduating – the highest in the University’s history.

Markus Heinrich said his biggest accomplishment during his Black Hills State University career has been juggling everything – from involvement in school organizations and studies to the marketing of his business ventures.

Chantelle Whipple’s college experience was unlike most. Three times a week she was up at 6:30 a.m. for ROTC physical fitness training; once a week she had a ROTC lab repelling a wall or building a one rope bridge; and once a month she was fulfilling her obligations with the National Guard; all while maintaining a 3.96 grade point average (GPA).

Two decades ago, Leah Bothamley hung up her surfboard and moved from sunny California to Laramie, Wyo. – a big change for someone who spent hours catching the ocean waves. Bothamley soon found a new love, snowboarding, and when the Black Hills State University student graduates on Saturday she’s looking forward to a career that combines her love of snowboarding with her passion for the business world.

With declining and aging membership, the Rapid CityVeterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) club is looking to reinvent itself and seeking advice from Black Hills State University MBA (master of business administration) students to help in the process.

Nicole DeJong, science education major from Avon, and Candace Patmore, math education major from Colome, will be honored as the highest ranking students during the Black Hills State University Spring 2013 commencement ceremony Saturday, May 4 at 10 a.m. in the Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center.

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